The EFL says it was left with no option but to rearrange three fixtures after Uefa published the Champions League schedule. Liverpool v Tottenham has been brought forward by 24 hours to Tuesday, September 15 at 8pm, while Everton v Wolves and Wolves v Portsmouth also had to be moved.

Uefa had scheduled Liverpool v Atletico Madrid for the same date as Everton's home game, and the league says that left the Merseyside clubs unable to play at home on the same evening. The EFL said it met Uefa officials on Monday morning, but they were unwilling to consider moving the Champions League tie because of supporters travelling from overseas.

The Merseyside clash that forced the change

The basic problem is straightforward: Liverpool and Everton cannot play home fixtures on the same evening. The EFL says that was clear before Uefa announced Liverpool v Atletico Madrid for the same date, which is why the domestic schedule had to shift.

That conflict has been rare for decades. The last time both Merseyside clubs played at home at the same time was the FA Cup third round in January 1981.

The three fixtures that changed

Everton v Wolves was originally set for Wednesday, September 9 and is now scheduled for Wednesday, September 16. Wolves v Portsmouth has been pushed from September 16 to 20 October, while Liverpool v Tottenham now takes place on Tuesday, September 15 at 8pm.

The EFL said five clubs will be inconvenienced by the changes. Liverpool's Carabao Cup tie with Tottenham will still be shown live on ITV and Sky Sports, so the move changes the date, not the visibility of the game.

Uefa says no issue was raised during the scheduling process and that the conflict only became apparent after the fixture lists were published. The league's complaint is that Uefa would not shift Liverpool v Atletico Madrid once the clash emerged, and on that point the EFL has a strong case. The domestic fixtures have already been moved, and the calendar now has to work around 15 September, 16 September and 20 October.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →